Lock-keeper.



G. W. KENNEDY.

LOCK KEEPER. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. I916.

I M e r i n GEOBGEW. KENNEIDY,; OF COLUMBIA, MISSQUBI, ASSIG1\TOR-OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES E. BEAVER, OF PARIS, MISSOURI.

flock-K EPE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 41-, 1917.

Application filed December 14, 1916. Serial No. 136,995.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Boone and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Lock-Keeper, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in keepers whereby an unskilled person may correct a very common difficulty with doors in a few moments without any special equipment in the way of tools; z. 6., practically without tools. It is a very common thing for the settling of a building or shrinkage of its woodwork to change the position of the keeper with reference to the bolt and latch of the look, so that the .apertures in the keeper are too high or too low and prevent the latch and bolt from entering the apertures. It has been customary in such cases to call in a carpenter, who usually moves the keeper up or down to correct the trouble. This not only involves expense but leaves an unsightly gap at one end of the keeper. In some cases, where the carpenter happens to be supplied with suitable files, the trouble is remedied by filing out the ends of the apertures in the keeper. This involves removing the keeper, which is difficult to do without splitting out the Wood more or less around the edges, resulting in nearly, if not quite as much, disfigurement of the jamb as moving the keeper involves. By means of my invention the difficulty may be corrected without removing the keeper. This will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a keeper wherein the scores are on the reverse side alone, and

Fig. t is a sectional view thereof.

Similar numerals indicate like parts in several views.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that scores 10 are made on each side of the keeper, opposite each other, and Fig. 1 shows their arrangement, which is such as to form .a number of rectangular sections 11. Suflicient metal is left intact to retain the sections, but they may be broken out one by one with a few slight taps of a hammer. To do this the end of some light instrument,

such as a nail set, a punch, or even a nail, i may be set in the score at the end of the section to be removed, near its: outer edge, and a few light blows on the end of the punch will fracture the metal at the bottom of the score. While the drawing shows the scores to out out the woodwork sufiiciently to leave hollow spaces back of the scored areas. The value of this invention may be appreciated from the following illustration: In rented houses it is a very common thing for one or more doors to get so they can not be locked; in fact this occurs a number of times in the history of every house, whether rented or otherwise. Having to send a carpenter to fix these doors imposes a heavy expense upon landlords. struction, either verbal or through the agency of a small printed slip, the landlord may be saved most, if not all of this expense. WVhen it is remembered that embodiment of my invention in keepers during their manufacture involves practically no expense the value of my invention is obvious.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular form of embodiment shown, as variations thereof are possible without departing from or exceeding the scopes of my claims.

What I claim is as follows:

1. A look keeper having an area at the end of the bolt tions may be broken out to enlarge the aperture.

2. A look keeper having an area at each end of the bolt aperture scored, the scores being arranged in rectangular form so that 100' small rectangular pieces may be. broken out to lengthen the aperture,

3 and 4 the scores are on one side only. 65

With a few words of in- 80 aperture scored so that por- 3. A look keeper having an area at the of the bolt and latch apertures'scored, the end of the bolt aperture scored on both sides, scores being arranged in rectangular form the scores being opposite each other and arto enable small rectangular pieces to be 10 ranged in rectangular form, so that small broken outone by one as enlargement of 5 rectangular pieces may be broken out one at the apertures becomes necessary.

a time.

A. A lock keeper having areas at the ends i GEORGE W. KENNEDY Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D; G. 

